A hearing before the NJSIAA Controversies Committee will held Oct. 19 at NJSIAA headquarters, Robbinsville, to determine whether Mater Dei Prep used ineligible players, in violation of rules regarding transfers, during last Saturday’s scrimmage against Canada Prep, NJSIAA assistant director Jack DuBois said Friday afternoon.

Mater Dei Prep did not self-report the potential use of the ineligible football players to the NJSIAA, DuBois said.

Under NJSIAA's rules, players who transfer without a bona-fide change of address must sit out 30 days from the start of the regular season even if a scrimmage against another team takes place during that time span, DuBois said.

The Middletown school rallied to win the scrimmage, 14-13.

Mater Dei Prep called the NJSIAA a couple of weeks ago to change the Canada Prep game to a scrimmage after indicating on its schedule card submitted before the season that it was a regular season game, DuBois said.

However, Mater Dei Prep coach Dino Mangiero spoke with the Asbury Park Press this summer about scheduling tougher opponents from outside the Shore Conference, including Canada Prep, a football prep school in Ontario, and Delbarton.

The ineligible players must sit out the Seraphs' game Friday night at Shore Regional, DuBois said. They will then be eligible to play next week.

DuBois said he announced the Controversies Committee hearing Friday morning during the association's Shore Conference sectional meeting. He said Mater Dei Prep was notified before the Shore Conference meeting about the hearing.

Since Mater Dei Prep notified the NJSIAA the Canada Prep event was a scrimmage, the win will not count toward its power rating, DuBois said.

The Seraphs' record is currently 2-0 with wins over Keansburg on Sept. 9 and Keyport on Sept. 23. DuBois said there has been no indication Mater Dei Prep used the ineligible players in those games.

With the Canada Prep now being counted as a scrimmage, Mater Dei will only play seven games before the cutoff date for qualification for the NJSIAA playoffs. All seven games will count toward its final power rating, DuBois said.

Mater Dei Prep played three Greater Middlesex Conference schools and Holmdel last season. Those games were dropped from its schedule this season by mutual agreement with the schools and conferences involved.

Teams that play at least eight games before the playoff cutoff date are able to drop their worst power point game in their final power rating.

Fueled by an influx of transfers, Mater Dei Prep won its first-ever NJSIAA sectional title last season, going 12-0 and winning the Non-Public Group II crown.